Never give up

As he did in his Gezi Park series, Fazıl Say makes reference to current political events in his new cello concerto. According to the composer, Never give up is an ‘outcry for freedom and peace’, focusing on the ‘harrowing terror attacks in Europe and Turkey’. (Say)

This is most evident in the central movement: harsh note repetitions on the percussion alternate with screaming glissandos in the woodwind – passages marked with the performance instructions ‘Kalaschnikov’ and ‘like a scream’ in the score. Nevertheless, the work concludes on a hopeful note with traditional Turkish rhythms accompanied by peaceful birdsong and the sound of waves in the strings.